The event was hosted through the Parliamentary Friends of Ending Violence Against Women and Children and brought together parliamentarians, community members and frontline services to hear directly from organisations working to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children experiencing violence.
Marninwarntikura attended as part of the broader FVPLS sector, alongside our national peak body, First Nations Advocates Against Family Violence, which coordinated the event and continues to advocate for the sustainability and strengthening of specialist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family violence services.
We extend our thanks to Senator Larissa Waters, Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends group, for hosting the event and creating an opportunity for parliamentarians and decision makers to hear directly from the sector.
More than 50 Senators, Members of Parliament and community members attended the session, demonstrating strong interest in the work being undertaken by specialist services across the country. For many in the room, hearing firsthand accounts from services working on the ground helped illustrate both the impact of these programs and the challenges faced by communities and organisations responding to family violence.
Marninwarntikura was proud to stand alongside fellow FVPLS member services who travelled to Canberra to contribute their perspectives, including SIS Tasmania, Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service, Aboriginal Family Legal Service Queensland, Warra Warra Family Violence Prevention Legal Service and Djirra.
The Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services sector plays a vital role in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children through culturally safe legal assistance, early intervention and prevention services. Organisations across the network work every day with communities to respond to violence, strengthen safety and support healing.
Opportunities such as this Parliamentary Friends event allow services to speak directly with decision makers about the realities on the ground, the importance of specialist Aboriginal-led services, and the continued need for sustained investment in prevention, early intervention and legal support.
For Marninwarntikura, it was a privilege to contribute to these conversations and to stand alongside our colleagues across the country in advocating for safer families and stronger communities.
